Measures in cases where African swine fever is suspected or confirmed in feral pigs
Article 15
1
Immediately after the competent authority of a Member State has information that feral pigs are suspected of being infected, it shall take all appropriate measures to confirm or rule out the presence of the disease, by giving information to the owners of pigs and to hunters, and by investigations of all feral pigs shot or found dead, including laboratory testing.
2
As soon as confirmation of a primary case of African swine fever in feral pigs has taken place, in order to reduce the spread of disease, the competent authority of a Member State shall immediately:
a
establish an expert group including veterinarians, hunters, wild life biologists and epidemiologists. The expert group shall assist the competent authority in:
- studying the epidemiological situation and defining an infected area in accordance with Article 16(3)(b),
- establishing appropriate measures to be applied in the infected area in addition to the ones referred to in points (b) and (c); these measures may include suspension of hunting and a ban on feeding feral pigs,
- drawing up the eradication plan to be submitted to the Commission in accordance with Article 16,
- carrying out checks to verify the effectiveness of the measures adopted to eradicate African swine fever from the infected area;
b
place under official surveillance pig holdings in the defined infected area, and shall in particular order that:
- an official census be carried out of all categories of pigs on all holdings; the census shall be kept up to date by the owner. The information in the census shall be produced on request and may be checked at each inspection. However, as regards open-air pig holdings, the first census carried out may be done on the basis of an estimate,
- all pigs on the holding be kept in their living quarters or some other place where they can be isolated from feral pigs. Feral pigs must not have access to any material which may subsequently come in contact with the pigs on the holding,
- no pigs enter or leave the holding, except where authorised by the competent authority having regard to the epidemiological situation,
- appropriate means of disinfection and if necessary disinsectisation be used at the entrance and exits of buildings housing pigs and of the holding itself,
- appropriate hygiene measures be applied by all persons coming into contact with feral pigs, to reduce the risk of African swine fever virus spreading,
- all dead or diseased pigs with African swine fever symptoms on a holding be tested for the presence of African swine fever,
- no part of any feral pig, whether shot or found dead, nor any material or equipment which could be contaminated with African swine fever virus, shall be brought into a pig holding,
- pigs, their semen, embryos or ova shall not be moved from the infected area for intra-Community trade;
c
arrange that all feral pigs shot or found dead in the defined infected area are inspected by an official veterinarian and examined for African swine fever in accordance with the diagnostic manual. Carcases of all animals found positive shall be processed under official supervision. Where such testing proves negative as regards African swine fever, Member States shall apply the measures laid down in Article 11(2) of Council Directive 92/45/EEC of 16 June 1992 on public health and animal health problems relating to the killing of wild game and the placing on the market of wild-game meat . Parts not intended for human consumption shall be processed under official supervision;
d
ensure that the African swine fever virus isolate is subject to the laboratory procedure indicated in the diagnostic manual, to identify the genetic type of virus.
3
If a case of African swine fever has occurred in feral pigs in an area of a Member State close to the territory of another Member State, the Member States concerned shall collaborate in the establishment of disease control measures.
OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p. 35. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 31).